A Legacy Of Fear
by On A Dead Man's Chest
Summary: James Potter has grown up in safety since his father's defeat of the Dark Lord. Now, in his Sixth Year at Hogwarts, all that is about to change when threats are made to his father by an unknown source. M for language, sex later on, maybe GuyGuy. R&R xx
1. A Long Morning

-1Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Harry Potter, and many of the characters who appear here will be the sole property and creation of J.K. Rowling.

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James Potter raised his head from the pillow of his four-poster bed, groaned, and let it drop back to where it had lain. He felt as though it may fall off, and for a brief moment considered the possibility preferable to the morning of hung-over misery which he knew stretched out before him. However, as vague memories of the night before began to drift back to him, he forced himself upright to sit with his back against the headboard, he looked down to see that he was lying atop the covers of the bed. He was also, he noted with a mix of regret and amusement, naked. He shivered slightly as his sluggish nervous system let him know that the October morning was crisp and cool, and turned his attention to the rest of the room, surveying the damage.

From the bed directly across from his, the torn curtains dangled from their frame by one corner, where they had been torn when Rachael Wood had stumbled and grabbed at them to prevent herself falling. Her failure on that count was illustrated by the fact that she was now asleep, topless but covered by the tattered curtains, at the foot of the bed. Eyes moving upwards to the bed itself, he could see the lump in the bed clothes formed by his cousin, and fellow Gryffindor sixth year Fred Weasley, son of his Uncle George, and named for his long-dead twin. It had been his 17th birthday celebrations which had lead to the headache currently making James wish he had never even heard of firewhisky, vodka, or mead, much less consumed copious amounts of each the night before.

Suddenly, a loud bang, followed by a shriek made him whip his head to the right to stare down towards the door of the dormitory, where a girl with shoulder length , sand-coloured hair was staring at the scattered heap of smouldering Exploding Snap cards which had been the source of the unpleasantly loud noise.

'Stupid bloody things made me jump,' she said aloud, before turning and meeting James's eye.

He hauled himself to the end of the bed and stood to look at her, saying blearily 'Morning, Tora.'

By way of a response, she merely raised an eyebrow, and a split second later, he realized that he was still completely nude. Clasping both his hands to his crotch, he cast about for something to cover himself with, but his clothes still lay where they had been discarded the night before, on the furthest of the five beds which filled the dormitory, the one by which Tora still stood, regarding him with eyebrows still raised, and a slight smile now, as she too noticed his boxers lying beside her. Without taking her eyes off of him, she reached down and picked them up, holding them out to him, and saying with deceptive innocence, 'Looking for these?'

Regaining some of his normal confidence, James simply let his hands fall to his sides, and said, 'Fuck it. You've seen it all before.' He spoke slightly louder than normal, over-compensating, he realized, for his embarrassment a moment before. He turned, blushing slightly in spite of himself, reached over to the bed-side table for his wand, and said, pointing it at his ex-girlfriend, and said 'Accio!'

The underwear zoomed from her hand and into his, where to his dismay he realized that they were damp. Realizing why he looked so perturbed, Tora laughed even harder, and, dropping onto the end of the bed she was still standing next to in order to compose herself, said, 'You weren't THAT drunk! I used them to wipe up the firewhisky that Albus knocked over on his way out,' and she indicated the half-full bottle which lay beside the still smoking cards by the door.

Relieved, James bent down and tugged his trunk out from under his bed, pulled out a fresh pair of boxers and some jeans (as it was Saturday, he wasn't required to wear his uniform robes), and seated himself on his own bed to pull them on. As he pulled on a t-shirt, his brain suddenly caught up with him, and he leapt up, ignoring the nausea which came with the sudden movement, and bellowed, 'ALBUS was here? And the little shit was spilling MY drink? I'll curse the wanker into the next century! What was he doing in here anyway? The party was for strictly N.E.W.T. students only.'

Tora had moved up to crouch beside Rachael's now stirring figure, and now looked up at him, bemused. 'Fred invited him, being as he is his cousin too. And I'm a fifth year, too! I didn't here you complaining last night, when you were slurring to me about 'the good old days' and trying to get me to go down to the bathrooms with you,' she said, matter-of-factly.'

Blinking stupidly at her, he said 'You're different. You're a girl. A hot girl, as it happens, two requirements which my little brother could never claim to meet.'

Ignoring his compliment, she handed a groaning Rachael her bra and top, which she had grabbed from the same bed where James's still lay, and replied 'I wouldn't be so sure about the second one, you know. He left here with Liv Goldstein looking mightily pleased with himself.'

Before a flabbergasted James could frame a response, Rachael spoke or the first time, moaning 'What happened,' as she pulled her hair back into a pony-tail with the tie Tora offered to her. 'Thanks,' she added.

'Strip-poker,' she explained, and the full memory of what had happened came flooding back to James, as Rachael merely groaned again, and filled the cup lying beside her with water, which she sipped miserably. Strip-poker indeed. They had been unable to find a normal deck of cards, and so had substituted a set of Exploding Snap ones instead, adding the rule that, when a player's card exploded, they had to remove an extra item of clothing. Which explained how he had ended up in such an unfortunate position. He wasn't upset about the nudity, for his body was toned from years of smashing heavy Bludgers about as one of the Gryffindor beaters, and he was more than happy with his other… assets. No, it was the losing which bothered him, and the intolerable smirk which was back on Tora's face as she looked up at him, probably guessing why he looked so annoyed. The girl knew him too well.

They had been together for the first half of the previous year, his fifth, her fourth, and had split up when he found her to be too clingy. He, James Potter, good-looking son of the famous Harry Potter, and hero of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, had wanted to expand his horizons. Most particularly the horizons which were found in assorted dormitories, and other conveniently private locations. His mission had proven successful, and he proceeded to break hearts (and, for that matter, hymens) for the rest of the year, even taking his experimentations further and moving on to the male half of the student population, his bisexuality allowing him to truly top the list of 'most wanted Hogwarts students.' All the while, he barely spared a thought for his ex.

Which is why it had been such a shock to his system when he had returned to Hogwarts for the new year, and he saw the transformation which she had undergone. Now taller by several inches, and curvier in all the right places, she had been barely recognizable as the girl whose virginity he had taken the year before, and had left when she took to bewitching love notes to fold themselves into butterflies, and flutter over to him while he tried to have conversations in the common room. Indeed, she was stunning. And her new looks were matched by an aloof coolness, which made James frantic. He knew he could get most of the students into bed with little effort, but not Tora. For her coolness had seemingly brought with it a resistance to his black hair, soft-brown eyes, and, of course, charming wit.

No. The girl was ice.

His thoughts cleared as the urge to be sick swept over him again, in turn reminding him of his pounding headache.

'Where are the others?' he asked, in his most casual tone, hoping that Tora had not, as he feared, guessed his thoughts, and he indicated the three empty beds.

'Rowan, Jesse, and Mark were going down to breakfast feeling sorry for themselves as I came up,' was the response. 'No one else slept up here. Maddie and Jen took Hannah back to their dormitories after you went to sleep, and we thought it better just to leave Rae where she was. Sorry,' She added as an after thought to the girl beside her, who merely nodded her acceptance and returned to her water.

'Mm. Breakfast? I need to settle my stomach.'

'Fine.'

'Should we wake my dear cousin?' asked James, nodding over to where Fred still lay asleep.

'Better leave him. He'll be feeling pretty grim when he wakes up, so why make him suffer sooner?'

A grin flashed across James's face at that, and raising his wand, he said, 'Aguamenti!' A jet of water arched over the girls' heads, and splashed onto Fred's head, causing him to raise his head, spluttering, and groaning.

'Bastard!' yelped Tora and Fred together, as James laughed, and looking down at Rachael asked, 'You coming?'

With a glance at Tora, she said, smirking slightly, 'I'll wait for Fred. You two go ahead.'

His smile fading a bit, James turned to his ex, who merely smiled, and said, 'Come on then, darling,' before turning and walking towards the door. Pausing only to shoot a look at Rae, who continued to look on the verge of laughter, he followed.

'Nice tits, by the way,' he called as he strode after the blonde girl, and Rachael choked on the water she was sipping again, blushing, with all trace of amusement gone.

James's self-satisfaction did not last long. The prospect of a breakfast in the company of his infuriating former lover, and with his head pounding, gave him the impression that this was going to be a long morning.

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There. This was pretty well just an introduction to some of the characters, and the plot will pick up a bit in the next chapter! Let me know what you think, this is my first Fan Fic, but I thought I'd give it a try to see what happened. R&R please!


	2. In The Great Hall

_New Chapter. Thanks to Nika Dawson for her review! I agree there aren't enough stories about James... And I'm bored with Albus! But I think what his parents would think of his partying is about to be the least of his worries!_

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-1Tora could feel his eyes on her back as he followed her down the stone steps from the boys' dormitory, and across the common room, now crowded with students returning from early breakfast. Although she did not slow down, nor he speed up to walk beside one another, they were unmistakeably together as they clambered threw the portrait hole and continued on down the corridors to breakfast. In silence, she lead him down towards the Great Hall, without looking round, but nevertheless sure that he was still following her, all the while lost in thought.

As his parents ha dbeen Hogwarts friends with her father, they had often visited the Potters during her childhood, and while closer in age to Albus, it ws James she had always obsessed over. When she arrived at Hogwarts herself, the year after James, she found him just as captivating. When he made it onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team in his third year, he began to fill-out, and attract attention as a new young star of the team, only furthering her interest. When they eventually got together, it had been a dream. _Until_, she admitted ruefully to herself, _he got bored._

Now, she didn't know what she wanted most. To talk to him, to fuck him, or to simply hex him into oblivion. She was more than capable of moving on physically; James's eyes were not the only ones who had noticed her development over the summer, but whenever she had so much as kissed a guy that term, she had seen his face. Dark hair, brown eyes, and that cocky, open smile, and then the overwhelming desire to run from the room.

This merry train of thought had taken her as far as the Great Hall, where James finally drew up beside her as they headed towards the Gryffindor table. She was tempted to leave him and join her own friends, but as if in anticipation of her thoughts, he grabbed her by the hand and led her towards where his fellow sixth years sat, slowing only to deliver a sharp smack to the back of his younger brother's head as they passed him.

'We could… talk. Later. If you want,' He muttered in her ear as he made way for her to sit down, then flopping down beside her, and greeting the three guys already nursing their own hangovers on toast and cereal

Jesse Drake, Mark Hawthorne, and Rowan Ford all glanced up at James and, collectively, smirked. Flicking them the finger, he winked at Mark (_Oh GOD are they fucking now?)_, and offered her the nearest plate of toast. What, did he think that the sight of his dick in the morning, plus a piece of toast was enough to make her want to jump him? He was unbearable. She hoped it fell off.

Well. No. He was an ass, but the boy had skill. GOD.

_Just focus on the hate_, she thought, and was mentally preparing a scathing remark when Rowan pre-empted her.

'You feel as shitty as you looked last night, Jimbo? You made quite the cock out of yourself, you know.'

'It IS quite the cock, isn't it,' he drawled, a laugh in his tone that made Tora want to jump him. And then kick him in the balls, she added to herself, to appease the part of her brain dedicated to loathing him.

His friend opened his mouth to comment, but then turned his attention to Tora, apparently fully registering her for the first time. His grin got wider, and he asked, 'So. You liked what you saw last night, Finnigan?'

'Fuck you.'

'Baby, all you had to do was ask… Mind you, I didn't think you were that kind of a girl. Word has it that the legs have been closed ever since our modest friend here got bored.'

She was about to bite back, but before she could, James was on his feet, wand pointed at his friend, yelling 'Back off, Ford!'

Rowan had reached for his own wand, before a deep voice from behind James said, 'James. Please don't do anything I would have to tell your father about. He'll only get upset. We need to talk. Come with me.'

'Aw, Teddy, I was only-'

'Professor Lupin. We're at school, James'

Before he could retort, Tora caught sight of the red haired girl standing behind the newly appointed Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, and touched James's hand. He glanced down at her, evidently startled, and she nodded at his younger sister. Looking up again, he saw her for himself, and the tone of his voice changed, as he looked Lupin in the eye, and asked,

'What's going on, Ted?'

'Just… come with me'

Lily was looking frightened, and, looking at the young girl again, James followed his father's god-son as he turned and headed towards the doors. As Fred Weasley passed them on his way in, the group paused, muttered something, and he joined them, leaving Rachael to make her own way down to their part of the table.

'What's that about,' she asked.

'No idea,' answered Mark, and Tora noticed the concern in his voice, which matched her own, and she followed his gaze to where they could just see the little group starting their way up the marble staircase, and out of sight.

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Dun Dun Dun! Yeah, so next chapter will be up soon, hopefully )


	3. Bad News Bearing Gifts

_Yeah, long chapter here, kind of a lot of explanation and a bit of developmentttt. Thanks to Nika for another review, everyone welcome to R&R_

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-1As the three students followed their teacher and friend up the marble staircase, James was in a daze. There was a leaden weight in his stomach that he realized was dread. It was not like Teddy to be so serious, even if he was their professor. He was brought back to Earth as he felt someone else touch his hand. For a moment, he thought of Tora, and looked to his left to see if she had followed them out of the Hall, only to see that Lily had fallen back to walk beside him, twining her fingers into her older brother's.

Coming back to himself, he glanced at Fred, who was staring straight ahead as though mesmerized, and James knew he was feeling the same worry as himself, the nausea of the hangover having been replaced with that of fear. This wasn't right.

'Te- _Professor- _what the hell is going on?' He demanded, suddenly out of patience with the silent figure striding ahead of them. And, realizing for the first time who was missing from the little group, added, 'And where's Al?'

For a moment it seemed as though Teddy was going to ignore James, as he kept going along the corridor, and his office. However, just as James opened his mouth to repeat himself, the man turned to face the three students behind, and they stopped short, and drew together instinctively, as though to protect themselves from what he was about to say.

The look on his face was hard to read. There was fear there, James, thought, and also something which might have been pity. He opened his mouth yet again, but was cut short when Teddy at last began to speak.

'Albus is waiting for us in my office, as are Rosie and Hugo. There has been… news. From your parents,' he said, shortly, addressing the last part to James and Lily. Looping his arm more tightly around his sister, James asked the question which had come immediately to his mind.

'Are they-'

'They are fine,' Teddy said, forestalling him. 'That is, they are healthy. As are George and Angelina,' he added hurriedly, as Fred stepped forward with his own query on his lips.'

'Well then, what? Is it Muriel? She had dragon pox, and Dad has been saying she isn't as young as she was, although I thought she was getting better?' James knew he was babbling in his relief, but he didn't care. Whatever the news was, it wasn't what he had most feared.

'Don't be stupid, mate,' Fred replied, his a face a mirror to his cousin's sudden high spirits, 'the old bitch will outlive us all. Her will to be spiteful is far to strong to let death get in the way.'

Laughing out loud now, James stopped at the sound of Lily's voice, as she spoke for the first time.

'Teddy, what is it?' she asked, and looking back at the young man, James noticed immediately that he had not joined in with the merriment.

'Just come. I can explain it to all of you at once.'

Heart sinking once again, James and the other two and began to follow him once again.

Arriving at Teddy's office without speaking again, they entered the room, James saw his younger brother and cousins sitting beside the fire, all looking jittery. As Teddy walked past them to his desk, which sat in the corner, Hugo and Albus stood expectantly, while Rosie merely sat, clearly terrified.

'Sit down.' said, Teddy, although only Albus obeyed, retaking his seat on the sofa where Rosie still sat, and put his arm around her. Realizing that the others were not going to take up his offer, he sighed, and sat down himself.

'You all know more than enough about your family's history with he Dark Arts and those who once followed them, so I won't bore you. You're used to hearing about them as heroes, vanquishers of Voldemort, saviours of the wizarding world. And so they are. However, what you may not know, in fact, what all of your parents have been trying to keep from you for a long while, is that there has always been a small collection of those who cannot be considered exactly _fans_ of their work.'

'Well, we know _that,_' the impatience he had inherited from his father heavy in his voice, 'It's like that nutter who sent the howler to Mum two Christmases ago, calling her mudblood and stuff. They've not done a brilliant job of hiding that, have they?'

Although he showed every sign of continuing on in this vein, Rosie spoke up, cutting across him, her voice still nervous, but nevertheless, firm, as much her mother as Hugo was his father.

'Shut up, Hugo. Let him finish.'

Nodding his thanks to Rosie, Teddy continued. 'You're not wrong, Hugo. This type of thing has been going on for years, almost since Voldemort first fell. However, these have usually been traced to individual. You know, cracked old wizards living alone who've decided to blame the Muggles for their arthritis, and got it into their heads that as long as Voldemort had got his way, they'd be frisking about like lambs.'

Feeling a slight relief at Teddy's use of humour, James felt safe to speak for the first time since coming into the room.

'But this is… different?'

'We think so,' came the reply, after a second's hesitation. 'You see, the messages started coming in as soon as this term began, and they're more, for lack of a better word, threatening. These aren't just mental ravings, these are specific and, we think, a cause for concern. For one thing, they speak of a group, which is something we haven't really had to worry about seriously since-'

'Death Eaters?' said Fred and James together, and Teddy turned his attention to focus on them.

'Well, we can't be sure. It's certainly plausible, but we haven't heard any wide-spread use of that term for years. Most of those who were real followers of Voldemort are in Azkaban. In fact, a lot of them are dead. No, what makes this such a problem is that, while we think it is a real threat, we don't have any strong idea as to where it is coming from.'

'So what are Mum and Dad, and the others, going to do? Go into hiding? Dad wouldn't stand for that. He'll want to go after them, find them!' The pride in Albus's voice was fierce, and James smiled thinly, not taking his eyes off of the teacher who was barely older than him, who was now regarding Al with great affection. But something had just clicked for James, and he understood why they were hearing this now, instead of being kept in the dark as, apparently, they had been prior to now.

'They'll be fine, Al. The threats weren't directed to them, were they, Teddy?'

His face turning sombre once again, Teddy's sigh would have been enough to confirm James's suspicions, but he spoke anyway.

'No. These… people… have been sending your parents messages, saying that they are going to come after their children.'

Although he had already reached this conclusion, hearing it said out loud still stunned James, and the news had evidently had the same effect on the others. Lily drew even closer to him, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fred stiffen.

'That is why your parents have asked that I let you know about this. We are confident that nothing can harm you within the castle, but best that you be aware of the situation, especially if you are out in the grounds, and during Hogsmeade visits. A few others within the school have been told, in order to maximize your security. The Headmistress, of course, and Professor Longbottom. Professor Flitwick for you, Rosie,' he added for the benefit of the lone Ravenclaw.

'Your parents asked me to impress upon you the need for you to be careful. Look out for each other, and for God's sake don't go crowing about this to your friends, trying to make yourselves glamorous. This means you, James,' he finished with a quick smile in James's direction, and with the flicker of humour, some of the tension seemed to ease.

'Don't need, it mate, thanks,' he answered, cheerfully. 'Huey might though, poor thing.'

As his younger cousin spluttered angrily, the others laughed, even Lily giving a smile and detaching herself from her older brother.

'Can we go now?' She asked, seemingly wanting the interview to be over and done with.

'Yeah, off you go,' said Teddy, now smiling openly as Hugo continued to huff. 'James, you hang on a second , please.'

Stopping as he was about to turn for the door, James watched the other leave. As Fred followed the others out, he asked over his shoulder, 'Reckon they'll still be serving breakfast?'

'Naw. But Rae might have brought you up some toast. She was pretty into you last night, you know.'

'Damn right! And when her top came off, I thought I was going to-'

'LEAVE, Fred, before you give me a conflict of interest,' Said Teddy, loudly, and Fred left with a wave of his hand.

Laughing, James turned to face Teddy once again, and flopped down into one of the arm chairs he had rejected before, asking 'What's up? Because frankly, if your about to tell me I failed my Defence Against The Dark Arts test yesterday, on the same day that a bunch of nut jobs have decided to slaughter my nearest and dearest, well. That's just poor timing,'

'Don't make a joke of this, James,' answered his friend, although he was smiling. He composed himself, however, and reached into the desk, pulling out a parcel. 'Your Dad sent this for you. You're the oldest, and he wants me to tell you specifically to look out for Al and Lily. And the others, of course. To that end…' He trailed off, tossing him the package instead of finishing the sentence.

Opening it, something silver slid out onto James' lap, and with a gasp, he grabbed it, and held it out in front of him.

'Dad's cloak!'

'For emergencies. Whenever you're in Hogsmeade, or maybe just in the grounds, have it with you. Use it to hide if you have to. And Harry told me to tell you that you are not to use it to wander around the castle after hours, and also that I was a fool if I expected you to listen, so there you go. There ought to be something else, as well.'

Looking at the wrapping, which had fallen to the floor in his excitement, James bent down a picked up an old piece of parchment.

'I liked the first bit more,' he said, looking up quizzically at Teddy, who smiled slightly, and reached out for the parchment.

Passing it to him, James watched as he took out his wand, tapped it, and said. 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.'

James snorted with laughter at this, but then gasped for the second time as he saw that words had appeared across the page.

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present The Marauders' Map._

Amazed, James watched the words fade, and be replaced by what he quickly recognized as a perfect map of Hogwarts, with tiny dots moving across it, each bearing a name.

'Ted, this is incredible! What IS this?'

'Map,' he replied, and then at the expression on James's face went on to explain, 'Your dad inherited it from Fred and George Weasley when he was at Hogwarts. They stole it from the old caretaker, Filtch. It was made by…'

'Yeah?'

'Prongs was your grandfather, your namesake. And Moony was my father.'

James looked at the man sitting across from him, and saw the dull sadness in his eyes. He knew that Teddy rarely spoke of his parents, who had of course died fighting along side his father, mother, and the countless others at the Battle of Hogwarts. Letting him drift into though, he stared down at the map. The others had reached their common rooms by now. Albus had gone straight up to the dormitories, it seemed, and Fred had joined Mark, Rowan, Rachael, and Jesse by the fire. He almost scanned the map to see what had become of Tora, but instead was struck by a sudden thought, and looked up at Teddy, whose eyes had returned to studying James in the silence since they had last spoken.

'What about the others?'

'Sorry?'

'Well, the Potters and the Weasleys weren't the only ones who helped get rid of Voldemort, were they? What about Tora? Seamus was there, and Oliver Wood and Katie, too, so wouldn't whoever this is be after Rachael, too?'

'We're fairly certain that this is… personal. That's one of the reasons why we're confident that this is real, and not just another freak with a personality disorder. There is a real hate in those messages, and it's not anything general enough to worry other students about. Speaking of the lovely Miss Finnigan, however, did I spot you two together at breakfast this morning?'

'Before we were rudely interrupted, yes. Not a big deal. I've got enough fun to keep me going without being weighed down.'

'Mm. Like Mark Hawthorne, for instance?' asked Teddy, one eyebrow arched at James.

Unabashed, James simply said, 'Hey. Fun is fun,' and then, grinning wickedly, 'And your not one to talk about the kinky shit, either, are you. I heard you and Vicky in the guest room the night before we left. What were you DOING to her, anyway, because those noises were-'

'LEAVE, thank you.'

'Yes, _professor,' _smirked James, 'Atlhough I was merely asking you to _educate _me. She sounded like she enjoyed whatever it was, and if I DO turn my attentions to Tora, then-'

'OUT!' yelled Teddy, and with a flick of his wand sent a book zooming at James's head, which the latter caught deftly, before tossing it onto the sofa, and darting from the room, laughing.

His laughter faded as he remembered why they had been called into the office. In his mind's eye,, he saw the five members of his family who were still at Hogwarts. Fred, every inch a Weasley, despite the dark skin he had inherited from his mother, Rosie, who had excelled at every subject the school had thrown at her, the classic Ravenclaw, and her brother, young, brash, but funny, like his Dad.

And then there was Al and Lily. His blood began to boil at the though that some bastard was hunting them down, and almost he reached for his wand despite the emptiness of the corridor. Cooling, he remembered that Hogwarts was more than able to keep them safe. Nevertheless, the thought flashed across his mind unbidden and horribly clear. _Someone wants us dead._

And then, looking down at the hand which clenched the invisibility cloak and map, hastily rewrapped to hide them from view, and another thought replaced the one before.

_Just let them fucking try._

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_Chapter 4 hopefully_ _will be up soon!_

_Also, in general, apologies for the really crappy_ _Chapter Titles... will try and think of some more creative ones from now on, lol._


	4. A Distinct Lack Of Humour

_Chapter 4! Again, thanks for the reviews, Nika, thanks for pointing that mistake out, I went back and fixed it. That why I shouldn't be writing past midnight! lol. prettierxdead, your review ws too sweet, I'm really glad you like it so far! As always, reviews are love._

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Climbing through the portrait hole, James still felt the sense of defiance resonating through him. However, as he glanced to where his friends sat, not yet having noticed his return, the sight of them sitting and chatting, carefree, no doubt about the night before, suddenly brought the weight of what he had been told in Teddy's office come crashing down on him. Suddenly, he was overwhelmingly tired, and instead of turning towards his friends, he walked quickly towards the stone staircase to the boys' dormitory, not pausing even when one of the guy's voices called out to him from across the room. Reaching the coolness of his dormitory, he took one step into the room, ready to drop onto his bed, when he saw that it was already occupied.

Tora sat facing the door, her eyes now fixed on him, as he just stood there, for once, utterly at a loss.

'Oh. Hi,' he said, lamely. _Not now_ he added mentally.

'Are you alright?'

'I'm… fine. Just, tired, really. Long night last night. You know.' With the last part he added a wink, trying to convince her to save the emotional interview he knew was looming for another time.

'James, you're lying, and you're not even doing it well, so please don't insult my intelligence. First Al came into the common room like he'd just been Confunded, and now you look like you're going to be sick. What's the matter.'

The tone of her voice was so tender that it almost threw him off balance, and as though his feet had no will of his own, he began to walk towards his bed, and sat down beside her, staring at his knees, suddenly awkward. Suddenly, her hand was on his knee, and as though that one touch had knocked down his inhibitions, he found himself talking, pouring out the story of the past hour as she sat, silent and impassive, all the while leaving her hand where it lay.

When he finally fell silent, she squeezed his knee, and drew back her hand, shifting slightly to look at him more directly.

'You know it will be fine, don't you?'

'Yeah. It's just… Lily. She's 13, you know? And someone is after her.'

'Your dad dealt with things like this when he was much youn-'

'_Shut up!_'

He rage in James's voice took even himself by surprise,, and he finally looked up, and saw the shock and hurt on Tora's face. He did not speak right away, instead pulling his legs up onto the bed, and shifting himself so that he lay flat on his, staring at the ceiling. It was only when he saw Tora stand that he spoke again, his voice low.

'I'm sorry.'

She paused, and so he went on 'This was my dad's fight. It was supposed to be over before I was even born. And now it's here, again, and it's me his time. I don't want his life.'

He looked her full in the face then, and she was studying him, as though weighing what he had told her. Then, without warning, she burst out laughing.

'Hey!'

'Oh, you are _such_ a fucking drama queen! Don't worry, this is going to give you just _so_ many opportunities to have tousled dark hair, and a dark, brooding, intense expression, which you'll just _love_' Gasping for breath, now, she saw the look on his face, she sat back down on the bed by his feet, and pulled herself together before continuing. 'Honestly, James. Do you believe for a minute that anyone who wrote those letters is really going to be able to get at you in here? Or Lily, or Al, or the others? Your parents only told you to keep you even safer. Boy, you're like a cockroach. As if you'd be got rid of that easily.'

'Cheers for that,' James answered, now half smiling himself. 'And you're right about at least one thing.'

'What's that?'

'I look amazing with a dark, brooding expressions.'

Laughing again she reached out, stretching her body across his, and smacked him on the upper arm. Lightning quick, he reached up and tickled her, causing her to collapse full on top of him, giggling with renewed energy. Growing suddenly quiet, she looked down at him, their eyes locked together once again. James lifted his head slightly up off of the pillow, bringing their faces to only a few inches apart. He waited as she hesitated for a second, her sandy hair hanging down and brushing his face.

Then, she was kissing him, and the worries of the morning seemed to evaporate. He moved his hand up and brushed her cheek, and she bit at his lower lip, just hard enough to hurt. Slowly, she began to grind up and down, adjusting herself so that she straddled his hips, and he felt his crotch grow warm as blood rushed to his now aroused penis. Tora paused then, and he let out a small sigh, which might have had a hint of a whimper in it, asking her without words to go on. However, she remained still, looking down at him as though considering.

Struck by inspiration, James twisted his face into what he considered to be his best expression brooding intensity, and, after a second, Tora began to laugh again, as he had known she would. Just as she lowered her head back towards his, however, there was a clatter, and the door to the dormitory opened, to reveal Mark, whose mouth opened slightly at the sight of what he had interrupted.

'Oh. Right. Sorry. Um. I came to see if-' Babbling, he bent to pick up his wand which he had dropped, bu this eyes did not leave the pair on the furthest bed. 'I'll go, shall I?'

Smiling at his friend's embarrassment, James glanced up at the girl still straddling him, and said, with a wicked grin; 'You know mate, you're welcome to stay. Isn't he, baby? Twice the fun?'

Expecting Mark to laugh, he looked over at him, but instead saw that the other boy's eyes were on Tora, who had let out a small gasp at his joke, and, turning his own head to look back at her, saw a glint of anger in her eye that he had not foreseen.

'Oh, come on, it was a jo-'

His explanation was cut short by Tora's open palm connecting sharply with his face, in a slap which seemed to echo around the room.

'FUCK!', he yelled, and tried to grab at the girl, who had jumped off the bed, but she dodged past him, and without a backward glance practically ran from the room, past Mark, who opened his mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it, and let her pass, turning instead to face James, who had sat up on the edge of the bed, massaging his jaw.

'You're a bastard,' he said, wearily, as bent down to pull his trunk out from under his own bed.

'People keep saying that.'

'Mm. Take the hint. Anyway, are you alright?

'Well, my face hurts.'

'Oh, shut up. I meant-'

'I know what you meant. It's fine, alright.'

'Ok… So. How did you come to have Tora on top of you?'

Choosing to ignore the question for the moment, he merely raised an eyebrow at Mark, who looked nonplussed for a moment, and then recognized the dark-haired boys intent.

'Oh, please be kidding.'

'What? You know it'll be fun, and I was all worked up then, when you had to walk in and spoiled things. You owe me.'

'Bite me,' came the reply.

'Jesus, dude, whatever does it for you, but I've got to say, that's a little bit new for you, isn't it.'

Mark's face clouded over at the cockiness in James's voice, and he sighed, finding the second of the shoes he had been looking for.

'One day, you're going to realize that there are people in the world who want more than just to fuck you at your convenience.'

'Then they're fucking idiots.'

It had come out quicker and harsher than James had intended, and he saw the hurt in the other's face for a second, before Mark's face became stony and expressionless.

'Look, mate, I'm sorry. I've had kind of a day, here, and I just need a little fun. Alright.'

Still expressionless, Mark ignored the explanation, and merely answered, 'Albus took off. He looked upset. Thought you might care. But it's not about you, so whatever. See you later.'

With that, he was gone., and James let out a groan, flopping back down on the bed. _Fucking fantastic, _he thought, as, free from distraction for the first time since breakfast, his headache came back to him, the stress of the news and the encounter with Tora and then Mark adding weight to the last traces of the hangover. He had been right about one thing, if nothing else. It had been a long morning.

Then, he sat bolt upright, as the meaning of Mark's parting words struck him fully. _Al… alone._ Suddenly frantic, he reached down the side of the bed and snatched the cloak and parchment from where they had fallen, and tore from the room, ready to go in search of his younger brother.

---

_There we have it… Next chapter might be quite short, but after that, the 'adventure' genre will kick in, promise!_

_R&R_

_xx_


	5. In Which It Starts To Rain

-1_Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, and any characters who are mentioned who appear in the original series are entirely the property and invention of J.K. Rowling._

_Thanks for those of you who've been reading, it's good to know that someone else is enjoying my creativity! Special thanks to Nika Dawson and prettierxdead for their reviews, as always, these are appreciated!_

_So, without further ado, Chapter 5!_

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So intense were James's sudden feeling of anxiety that he nearly forgot about the map and cloak as soon as he had grabbed them and set of down the staircase to the common room. However, just before he emerged into the crowded room, he paused, and threw the cloak over himself before stepping out from the shelter of the stairway.

A quick glance around the room told him that Mark had not rejoined Rowan, Rachael, Fred, and the other sixth years, nor was Tora anywhere to be seen. As he tapped the parchment with his wand and muttered 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good,' he instinctively began to search for them. A split second later, however, his original intent came back to him, and he began to scan the map for Albus as he reached the portrait-hole, which conveniently swung forward to allow a couple of second years to enter. Slipping through before it could shut, he paused just outside, and he spotted the tiny dot labelled _Albus Potter_ outside, heading across the grounds towards the lake. He wasn't, however, alone. The second label told him that Lily had joined her brother. James wasn't sure whether or not to be reassured by this, but realized suddenly where his younger siblings were heading. Determined to find out why they had chosen to stroll in the grounds immediately after being warned of an unknown danger, he closed the map and set off once again.

Mark stood in the prefects' bathroom, staring at his reflection in the mirror. Six years after he had first received the letter which brought him into the wizarding world, from time to time he was still surprised to see a normal teenager staring back at him. His world had turned upside-down when he was 11, and then once again at 15, when he had come-out, both to his friends and family. Not that anyone had really given him a hard time about it; his parents were fine (As his father had said at the time 'If we can come to terms with you being a wizard, I'm sure we can cope with whoever you choose to bring home.'), and his friends had been less surprised to hear that he was gay than they had been in the first-year, when he told them he was a muggle-born.

So there he stood, his reflection meeting his eye, self-appraising and calm. Heroin-thin though he had never touch a drug, with messily rebellious brown hair that he had let grow long to his shoulders, and deep blue eyes which often intimidate new acquaintances with the intensity of the stares they were capable of delivering, he continued to gaze at himself without blinking, until he was sure he could control himself. Then, and only then, did he turn and let out a long, shuddering breath.

He hadn't intended to walk in on James and Tora; indeed would never have ascended to the dormitory if he knew there was a chance they would be together. He never expected faithfulness from James, knew it was not his friend's intent to 'settle down' with any of his conquests, male or female, but it didn't stop the crushing weight from coming down on him whenever he heard of, or in this case saw, the boy with anyone other than himself.

It would be best just to let it end. To stop being the subject of James's experimenting. But whenever they were together, he felt so lost in his sheer presence that it was enough to tide him over until the next time James was in the mood. Nothing could change it. Even when his sense of humour verged to the almost cruel, or his arrogance meant he deserved a smack more than a fuck, the facts were incontrovertible.

James was beautiful. And Mark loved him. And it hurt.

In the fifth year girls' dormitory of Gryffindor tower, Tora was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, and shaking. Whether or not this was due to misery or to rage was a question even she could not answer. Once again, she didn't know what it was she wanted to do to James. But she wanted it to hurt. Or, possibly, she admitted to herself, feel so good he would want no-one else.

Suddenly, inspiration struck with such clarity that she jumped from her bed, and started towards the common room, before her resolve weakened.

When she reached the foot of the stairs, she hesitated for a second, and then, before she could abandon the plan, she strode as confidently as she could over to the small group of students, and said, clearly:

'Rowan. Can we talk?'

Although he now knew where he was heading, James's pace did not slacken as he reached the Entrance Hall and passed through the oak front doors and out into the grounds. It had clouded over in the time since James had woken, and the air had the still, close feel of impending rain. As he turned towards the lake, he registered that he was still wearing the cloak he had used to hide himself from his friends, and he pulled it off as he jogged, not wanting to startle Al and Lily by appearing out of nowhere.

The white marble tomb was now in sight, and as he approached it he heard voices from the other side. As he knew he would, he walked round to discover Al and Lily sitting with their backs against the tomb of Al's namesake, facing out across the lake and towards the mountains beyond. As he came into view, Al jumped up in surprise, and began to speak.

'What are you doing here?'

Suddenly, he concern that James had bottled up as he ran turned to anger, and without knowing quite how he began, he was yelling at his younger brother, who looked stunned.

'What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, running off alone with Lily? Did you not fucking understand what Teddy just told you? Anyone, anything could have been waiting out here for you,!'

'James!'

'No, tell me! Are you still fucked up on the booze you stole last night? Or is it some kind of joke to you, laughing in the face of danger, you stupid little-'

'JAMES!'

Al's voice was louder this time, and had an urgency that James cut through James's anger, and he halted, and looked to where his younger brother was indicating. Lily had not stood up, and was looking up at her two brothers, her face already tear-streaked and her expression stricken.

'Oh, Jesus, Lil, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare-'

'Well, you did,' said Lily, the strength of her tone surprising James, given her expression a moment before, which had now faded into an accusatory glare. He took a few paces towards her and sat down, the marble cool against his back, and drew her into a one armed hug. She struggled for a second, and then leaned into his shoulder, which he took as acceptance of his apology. Slowly, Al walked over and slid down to sit on her other side.

They sat together for a minute or so, before Al spoke up, 'Lily, James once told me that on the way to the castle in the first year, when you cross the lake in the boats, they sacrifice a new student each year to keep it happy. He was wrong then, too.'

James smiled at the memory, long ago now, and Lily raised her head and laughed out loud. Taking advantage of this, James began to tickle her, Al joining in, and before long, Lily was rolling on the ground, fear apparently forgotten.

Finally stopping, James allowed his sister to catch her breath, before saying, quietly, 'We've got more on our side than you'd think.'

Al, still laughing slightly, replied, 'Please don't tell me it's your sparkling wit?'

Smiling briefly, James said 'And my devilish good-looks, but that goes without saying. No, something from Dad. Look,' and he pulled out the invisibility cloak.

After a short explanation, he passed the cloak to Lily, who looked taken aback. 'I want you to take it into Hogsmeade next weekend,' he explained, and then seeing the re-emergence of fear in her eyes added quickly, 'Just in case. If anything happens, put it on, and Al and I will meet you outside The Three Broomsticks. Alright?'

She nodded, although she did not look entirely convinced, and so James continued, 'I wanted to give it to Al, you know, to hide that ugly mug, but I thought, on balance, you'd better have it.'

His brother reached over Lily's head and punched him on the arm, and suddenly, without warning a clap of thunder echoed across the landscape, and rain began to pelt as the heavens opened. Lily squealed, and the three jumped up, with James allowing Lily to jump onto his back, and he carried her as he and Albus sprinted back towards the castle.

In the boys' dormitory, the rain began to pelt the window as Tora lay on Rowan's bed, feeling him move in her as the thunder clapped once again. Moaning quietly, she closed her eyes and rolled her head back, which Rowan evidently took for a sign of her pleasure, speeding up, and a moment later letting out his own gasping sigh, and falling to one side of her, spent. He looped one arm over her, and she shifted on to her side with her back to him, allowing him to spoon his body into hers, all the while keeping her face hidden, as she silently began to cry.

---

_There we go! It's long than I meant for it to be, because I combined a few things into one chapter. I wanted bits of this to be longer, originally, especially the part from Mark's POV, but I realized that if I did that, this story would end up being 45845976 chapters long, and I'd completely lose sight of where I'm meant to be going._

_I've pretty much sorted the broad plot out in my mind now, so hopefully the next few updates ought to be fairly quick in coming… Look for some familiar faces coming up!_

_As always, R&R, and I shall be your bestest amigo. _

_xx_


	6. Hogsmeade

-1_Finally a new Chapter! Thanks to Nika for another lovely review, I'm glad you're liking the different POVs, because it makes it so much more fun to write that way!_

_Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this, and apologies in advance for the intense emo-ness of the Mark section, lol!_

_Read and Review, por favor!_

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The atmosphere in Gryffindor over the next week was undeniably tense, something not aided by the fact that the rain that had begun the previous Saturday showed no signs of abating, driving everyone inside and rendering the common room crowded and oppressive. The news from home still nagged at James's mind, especially whenever the pending Hogsmeade visit was mentioned, and on top of this, his relations with both Mark and Tora remained distant at best.

When he had first heard about Tora and Rowan, at Quidditch practice after dinner on Saturday, he had choked on the water he had been sipping, and Rachael, his fellow player and informant, had had to smack him on the back a few times before he could get it together enough to gasp, 'What?'

She merely nodded, and looked at him as if unsure what to expect. For a split second James stood with his mouth open, before closing it, and adopting a convincing air of nonchalance. What Tora chose to do was none of his business, after all. If she couldn't take a joke… well, he had other places to get his rocks off. When he did not reply out loud, Rachael gave him a look that seemed to be a blend of disappointment and what might have been pity, but she did not press the issue.

Mark, too, was irritatingly distant, barely speaking to James in the evenings, and flatly refusing when on Wednesday night, unable to bare the sight of Tora sitting on Rowan's lap by the fire any longer, he had proposed that they go 'for a walk.' Unable to maintain an air of collectedness after that, James had taken one look at the satisfaction on Tora's face, and the outright triumph on Rowan's and stalked off to the library to complete a Potions essay.

All in all, therefore, James was in a grim mood when Saturday morning dawned, cold but mercifully dry for the first trip into Britain's only totally magical community. Descending the marble staircase, he picked Lily out from among the gaggle of third years having their permission slips checked by the elderly caretaker, Argus Filch, and, catching her eye, winked at her, before raising an eyebrow. In response she patted the large bag swinging from her side, before turning back to her friends. Satisfied that at least something had gone to plan in the past week, he sighed, and walked over to where the older Gryffindors had gathered, and joined Fred and Rachael, who greeted him cheerfully, and Mark, who merely flicked him a kind of wary half smile, before resuming conversation with Fred. Brightening slightly at not having been completely frozen out, and the merciful fact that there was no sign of Tora and Rowan, he turned to Rachael, and asked,

'Where are the love-birds?'

'Going together, later. Madame Puddifoot's, I think.' Her tone had the same strange mix of annoyance and sympathy as she continued, 'Look, if you just _talk_ to her, then I'm sure-'

'Hey, hey. Tora is allowed to do whatever she likes, or, come to that, whoever she likes.' Although his tone was determinedly casual, James could not help but add, 'Besides, she doesn't want to talk to me. I think that's pretty clear.'

She hesitated for a second, apparently deciding whether or not to speak her mind. However, before she could make up her mind, the oak front doors had swung open, and the two friends turned to follow Fred and Mark out of the entrance hall, and down towards the gates, and the road beyond which lead to Hogsmeade.

Thirty minutes later, as the village of Hogsmeade came into view as they rounded a bend in the lane, Mark was beginning to forget his anger with the dark haired teen who was walking by his side. Mouth open with laughter, pushing his dark hair out of his eyes where it was blown by the cold breeze, the image of James was beginning to remind him why he had been so captivated, and to break down the barrier he had so stubbornly maintained over the past week.

However, this did not mean he had not noticed the way in which James had been glancing towards Tora, who had appeared a few minutes into the walk, her hand entwined with Rowan's. Or, for that matter, the way she often returned his looks a moment later, engineering it so that their eyes never met. He had known from the moment he first saw them together that Tora's flirtation with Rowan was nothing more than a front, a front with which he was uncomfortably familiar. He wondered to himself how it was that neither of them could see the other, but quickly came to realize that it did not matter. Pride was a painful thing, and, frankly, more fool them. _More fool me, too_, he though silently, watching Tora flick another glance at James, now recounting stories of old parties and conquests to the group. To the casual observer, this might have been seen as merely a teenager's bragging, but again Mark saw James look towards Tora after each tale. He almost laughed at the transparency of it all, but instead caught Rachael's eye. She gave him a sympathetic little smile, which despite her kind intentions, made everything worse, only serving to remind him that none of James's anxious glances were directed at him.

Rachael had told him again and again in the past few days to forget James; that he wasn't worth it. Hollow words, words designed to heal a wounds that weren't quite ready to be healed. In Tora's eyes, he saw reflected his own confusion, and, he thought, a shared realization that whatever happened with James, they would always be second best. Because damn, did the boy ever love himself. _Who can blame him? Everybody else fucking does._

This gloomy train of thought had lasted until the group emerged onto the main street running through Hogsmeade, where they came to a halt and turned to one another.

'Where first?' This, of course, from James, his desire to take control of the situation coming through even in a matter as trivial as this.

'Honeyduuuukes', moaned Fred, gazing longingly towards the already crowded sweet-shop. Rachael murmured her agreement, and Mark nodded. Rowan, however, coughed. Mark turned to look at him, and found him still hand in hand with Tora, who was wearing a forced kind of smile, which broadened almost maliciously when she saw that she had drawn James's attention.

'Well, you kids have fun. Tora and I were thinking we'd spend a little quality time together, maybe go and have a look at the Shrieking Shack. Or something like that.' The smirk of self-satisfaction on Rowan's face as he announced his plans was sickening even to Mark, and his eyes fixed on the back of James's head, which was all he could see of him. He was stone still, and even with out being able to see his face, he knew without question where his stare was directed. Wordlessly, the duo turned and walked off, Tora flicking one last smile over her shoulder at James, before they were swallowed in the throng of students still arriving in Hogsmeade.

For a full five seconds, no one moved. Then, without warning, James turned to face the other three, and for the first time in a week, made direct eye-contact with Mark. In two short steps, he crossed the three feet or so between them, and wordlessly, but with an intensity that Mark had not felt from him before, slammed his lips into his.

There was a split second where Mark heard twin gasps from Fred and Rachael, and then his senses shut down altogether. Numbed, he began to kiss back. But, suddenly, a flash of emotion shot through him, and it was not pleasure, but rage. Raising his arms, he planted both hands on James's chest, and shoved with all his might. Though the Quidditch player was far bigger than he was, James stumbled backwards, his face confused and angry.

After staring into his face for a second, Mark took a breath, and spat at the ground by James's feet. Turning, he shoved past a group of fourth year girls, and stalked blindly away, not caring where he was going.

Watching Mark storm off down one of the narrow side streets which branched off of the main road, James stood, mouth still slightly open. With a look which clearly wished immediate and serious bodily harm upon him, Rae turned and jogged after the thin boy, now disappearing into the shadows of the alley.

James was jerked back to reality by Fred's hand on his shoulder. Whirling round, he half shouted, half moaned to his cousin, 'What is _wrong _with everyone?'

Fred's voice was quiet as he replied 'Mate, that wasn't exactly your most sensitive moment.'

James's confusions was rapidly turning into anger as the accusatory tone of Fred's voice sunk in, and tuning to face the alley where Mark and Rachael had vanished, he took a step forward, and Fred, evidently sensing his intent, step up beside him, put his hand back on his shoulder, and said 'Just leave it.'

Ignoring this, James broke free from his grip, and followed the others off of the main road, Fred pursuing him, all the while telling him to slow down and think. Nevertheless, he continued until, midway down the ally, he found Mark and Rachael sitting on the bottom step of a rickety staircase which lead up to one of the flats above the shops, he with a cigarette in one hand, his head in the other, and she rubbing his back, seemingly at a loss for what to say. Mark did not move, although he could hardly have failed to notice the new arrivals, but Rachael looked up, glaring, and said, in a voice loaded with venom, 'Go away, James.'

'Fuck you. Listen. Mark. What the hell is wrong with you?'

'Mate…'

'Fred, SHUT UP. Mark, fucking say something, you little prick!'

At this, Mark gave a hollow little laugh, stood up, and moved towards James. However, instead of replying, he merely walked on past. Unwilling to let this go, it was James's turn to grab someone by their shoulder. A moment later, this proved to be a mistake, as Mark whirled around, suddenly furious, and punched James with all of his strength, full in the face. For the second time that morning, James stumbled back, tripping over a plank of wood, and hitting his head on the wall. Dizzy, he was vaguely aware of Mark yelling something incomprehensible. Shaking his head and scrambling to his feet, he groped in his pocket for his wand, but before he could pull it, a new voice screamed '_Protego,' _and once again, James flew back against the wall, this time sliding down to sit on the ground.

When his head stopped spinning, he realized that the source of the shield charm was an enraged Teddy Lupin, who was standing equal distance between Mark and James, his hair was suddenly a blazing red that showed his anger. He opened his mouth, but before anything could come out, an almighty bang echoed through the village. Rachael screamed, and Fred looked stunned, and then a second explosion, louder than the first sounded, and James all at once James forgot about Mark, Tora, and the rest, all of the memories of that morning instantly replaced with a jolt of fear, and one overriding thought. _Lily_

Without any further delay, he sprinted towards the entrance of the alley, ignoring the twin cries of protest which came from Fred and Teddy. As he emerged, he saw that confusion reigned on the streets of Hogsmeade. Students were running in every direction, and clouds of dust were billowing from the apparent source of the noise, somewhere beyond the Three Broomsticks. All of this was a blur to James, who was screaming his sister's name as he headed towards the front of the pub.

Suddenly, he saw her appear out of nowhere as she pulled off the invisibility cloak, but before he could reach her, someone ploughed into him out of the alley which ran down the side of the building, knocking him sideways, before grabbing him and spinning him towards them. Looking down wildly, he saw Tora, covered in dust and looking horrified.

'Rowan! James, help me, he's hurt, I don't know what happened, PLEASE!' Her voice was frantic, even hysterical, and for a second, James lost focus as Teddy rushed past him towards Lily, and the others pulled up to them. Tora seized on his hesitation to drag him with surprising strength into the alley, and before he could shake her off, Fred, Rachael, and Mark had crowded into the narrow entrance, blocking him from leaving. He turned, and was about to push past them and back onto the street, when Mark cried out and rushed forward down the alley. In spite of himself, he turned yet again to see what lay beyond. He dimly made out the figures of Mark and Tora bent over a third body, lying prone on the floor, and , agonized, hovered between joining them, and returning to find his sister. Before he could decide, however, a third crack rent the air, and this time it was so close that he fell to his knees, arms over his head, as splinters of wood rained down, and renewed screams filled the air, oddly muted.

After a few seconds, he stood, and turned to where the street had just been. Instead, however, he found a massive heap of debris; the wall of the building which formed the boundary of the alley had collapsed, sealing them in. Now frantic, he looked around, but could not see through the dust which had been kicked up by the falling wall. He took a few steps and banged into Rachael, who was ashen face, a thin stream of blood trickling down her face from a cut on her forehead. She clung to him, apparently dazed, and he began to speak, when a terrible scream came from the depths of the dark, clouded space.

'Tora!'

His voice cracked, and a flash of red light briefly illuminated the narrow space, before the stunning spell hit the still remaining wall with another bang. This jolted James into action, however, and he whipped out his own wand, crying 'Lumos!'

The thin beam of light immediately showed Fred a few feet away, his eyes fixed at a spot somewhere near the source of the scream, which had faded, to be replaced by a low moan. Turning his wand and the light it produced towards the end of the alley, he saw a cluster of forms standing there. One of them, a short, stout figure detached themselves from the rest and stepped forward, still obscured by the thickness of the dust. Before he could react, a shrill, girlish giggle echoed down the passage, and another jet of red light shot out towards him. A scream from Rachael, and then blackness.

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_Urgh, sorry it took slightly longer than usual to update, we had internet issues and whatnot conspiring to make my life difficult. Whole big thing! Anyway, next update ought to be a bit quicker, so thanks for reading! Reviews would be loverly, hope you all liked it!_

_xx_


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